Refrigerator cabinet construction



Feb. 13, 1951 F. R. WEST 2,541,453

' REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet l fzwflk/a t. R 8% 3% Feb. 13, 1951 F. R. WEST 2,541,453

REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Feb. 13, 1951 F. R. WEST 2,541,453

REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 'ank 7E [Vest ATTORNEYS Feb 13 195%1 F. R. WES? 9 3 REFRIGERATOR CABINET ccms'muc'rumv Filed Oct. 5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet s INVEN TOR. WaWAfiiJ M 1'1 Patented Feb. 13, 1951 2,541,453 REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Frank R. West, San Andreas, CaliL, asslgnor of one-half to John W. Young, Fall River, Mass; Constance Lane West executrix of estate of sai Frank R. West, deceased Application October 5, 1946, Serial No. 701,449

15 Claims. (Cl. 62-89) This invention relates to a refrigerator cabinet construction and more particularly to a construction for a dual temperature household rei'rigerator having a double hung door. Refrigerators have heretofore been proposed wherein the door is so mounted to the front of the cabinet that it may be opened from either the right-hand or left-hand edge selectively, the mounting means being so constructed so as to function as a hinge or a latch at will. It has also been proposed to construct refrigerator cabinets having separate compartments in which the temperatures are maintained at different levels, as for example, one compartment for normal food preservation at a temperature around 50 F. and a frozen food storage compartment at a temperature around F. Where a cabinet of this type is to be provided with a double-hung door, the disadvantage arises that each time the door is opened for access to the normal food preservation compartment, the colder air is permitted to spill out of the frozen storage compartment. Since the latter compartment is entered only infrequently, this produces an unnecessary current drain on the mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cabinet construction in which a double hung door may be used for a two-compartment refrigerator and in which the compartment on one side remains sealed against spillage of air when the door is opened for access to the other compartment.

Another object is to provide an improved cabinet construction where the loss of cold air in the higher temperature compartment may be quickly replaced from the lower temperature compartment after an opening and closing of the door to the higher temperature compartment.

Figure 1 is a perspective front view of a refrigerator cabinet incorporating a preferred form of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 showing the door opened from the other edge.

Figure 3 is a front view of the cabinet showing the inner mechanism of the door in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a, fragmentary sectional view line H of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view line |-l of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view line 8-8 01' Figure 3.

OIl

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the door mechanism.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view on line Ill-l0 of Figure 3.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view on line I l-I l of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view on line I 2l 2 of Figure 3.

Figure 13 is a View corresponding to Figure 12 showing the parts in a different position.

Figure 14 is a view corresponding to Figure 10 showing the parts in a different position.

Figure 15 is a view corresponding to Figure 10 showing the parts in still a different position.

Figure 16 is a front view of a refrigerator incorporating a modified form of the present invention.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary sectional view on line Il-ll of Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a fragmentary sectional view on 'ne I8-l8 of Figure 16.

Figure 19 is a fragmentary sectional view of the holding means for the inner door.

Referring now to the form disclosed in Figures 1 through 15, there is provided a. cabinet l0 having an access opening l2 which is closed by an insulated door It. The interior of the cabinet is divided into two compartments l6 and I8. The forme may be a normal food storage compartment and the latter, the frozen food storage compartment. The usual evaporator 20 is provided in the compartment [8. The compartments are separated by a fixed partition 22 which extends from the top to a point adjacent the bottom where it is provided with a pivoted closure 24 adapted to swing upwardly into the compartment l6. Pivoted on vertical hinges at 26 and 28 are a pair of inner doors 30 and 32 which normally close the front of each compartment. The doors 30 and 32 may be formed of light sheet material such as metal and preferably are not insulated, although they may be if desired.

Referring now to Figures 3 through 9, the suspending means for the door l4 comprises four vertical pivot pins arranged in aligned pairs 36 and 38. The pins project from the upper and lower surfaces of the door as shown more clearly in Figure 4 and are received in mating recesses 40 and 42. Mechanism is provided for retracting selectively either pair of pivot pins permitting the door to swing on the other pair. This may be of any suitable form and, as illustrated, comprises links 44 which are connected to rotary cam members 45 moun ed on stationary pivots in the inner as indicated at 68 and co-act with normally horizontal cam surfaces 62 formed on the cam plates 46.

Near the top of the door there are mounted spring plates :4 which cooperate with interlock plates 68 pivoted at 68 adjacent the pivot pins 38 and 38. The interlock plates have an outwardly extending portion which is adapted to cooperate with a shoulder 10 on the pins 36 and 88 to hold them retracted when the door is open at either edge. For the purpose of releasing the pivot pins, the interlock plate 66 has an upstanding arm at its inner end adapted to cooperate with a stationary pin I2 carried by the cabinet and projecting into the door through asuitablc opening.

It will be seen that the doormay thus be opened at either edge by operation of the handle 52 which, through the links 44 and cam plate 46, retracts the pivot pins 36 or 38 as the case may be. During this movement, the cam face 2 forces the interlock bar 56 toward the opposite cam face 62 and slides under it to the position illustrated in Figure 9. This prevents operationof the opposite handle 52. Likewise, as soon as the door swings open, and spring 64 will asist in the initial opening, the locking plate ii will swing over the shoulder I0 thus maintaining the pivot pins in retracted position. As soon as the door is closed, the stationary pin 12 will shift the locking bar 66 away from the shoulder I0 permitting the pivot pins to be extended and the parts to return to the position illustrated in Figures 3 through '7.

Referring now to Figures 10, 14, 15 and 19, the means for coordinating the outer door I4 with the inner doors 30 and 32 is illustrated. The doors 38 and 32 are normally urged toward open position by suitable torsion springs I4 but are held in their closed position by spring loaded ball-pointed plungers 16 which are received by ball shape depressions 18 in the cabinet of the refrigerator. Right angle spring latches 80 are mounted near both edges of the outer door so as to engage similar latches 82 at the edges of the inner doors. Latches 80 and 82 are so constructed that the arms extending parallel to the doors may pivot and wipe past each other when the outer door is closed. However, the pivoting action is limited to approximately 90 so that the arms of latches 88 and 82 engage each other to open the inner door when the outer door is opened. To prevent engagement of the set of latches opposite the opened edge of the outer door, the latches are positioned such that their pivoted arms overlay one another one-eighth inch or less. In this position the arc of the swing of the door willallow the latches nearest the door pivot to disengage while the latches at the opened side of the door will remain engaged to open the inner door on that side of the refrigerator.

It will be seen that when the outer door I4 Figure 14, latch 82 is engaged by latch to withdraw the ball plunger I6 from its retaining socket I8 thus permitting the inner door 30 to open under the urge of the spring 14. The inner doors are preferably provided with rollers 88 to facilitate this movement without damage to the inner surface of door I4. As the door is closed, it carries the inner door with it and during the final movement the inner door is urged shut by the leaf spring 88' so that the extending arms of the latches 80 and 82 wipe past each other to assume the engaged position shown in Figure 10. Similar action occurs when the door is opened from its right-hand-edge as shown in Figure 15. The leaf spring 88 is vertically positioned so as to not interfere with rollers 88 or latches 82.

Referring now to Figures 11 through 13, the control for the pivoted closure 24 is there illustrated. This is normally under the control of a thermostat 90 mounted on the partition 22 in the compartment I6. For this purpose, the thermostatic bi-metal spiral 92 may be connected to the closure 24 by a link 94. Thus, as the compartment I6 becomes warmer, the closure 24 is opened and vice versa.

Means is preferably provided for interlocking the action of closure 24 with the outer door I4 and for this purpose there is provided a flagshaped cam member 96 carried by a slidable plunger 88. When door I4 is closed, the cam member 96 lies opposite an opening I08 in the closure 24 and does not interfere with its opening movement under control of thermostat 98. When door I4 is opened, however, a spring I02 projects the plunger 98 and cam 96 to the right in Figure 12 to the position shown in Figure 13. The cam 96 thus engages the closure 24, bringing it to closed position if it should not already be there. The thermostat being yieldable permits this movement and the spring I02 is for this purpose made strong enough to overcome the force of the thermostat.

In operation, it will be seen that when the door is opened from its left-hand edge, as shown in Figure 14, access is provided to the normal food storage compartment I6, as shown in Figure 2. During this action, the inner door 30 swings open while the inner door 32 remains closed. The opening of the door I4 also closes the partition closure 24 by the action of the flag cam 96 previously described. Thus, the air in the frozen food compartment I8 is retained by the door 32 and the closure 24 except for the negligible quantity that may pass through the opening I80. The partition 22 preferably is perforated near its top portion so as to permit circulation of air between the compartments by convection when the closure 24 is opened, but these perforations do 0 not permit the escape of any substantial amount of low temperature air. When the door I4 is again closed, the flag cam 96 releases the closure 24 and the thermostat 90 resumes control thereof.

When access to the frozen food compartment I8 is desired, the door may be opened from the right-hand edge and a similar action takes place with respect to the inner door 32. At this time, the closure 24 is again moved to closed position by the flag cam 96 preventing the loss of cold air from the compartment I6. In this way, access may be had readily to either compartment while maintaining the other compartment sealed against spillage of refrigerated air. If desired,

is opened from the left-hand side as shown in 7 the inner door 30 may be omitted since access to this compartment is more frequently required in the normal household usage.

Referring now to the modified form of door control illustrated in Figures 16 through 18. the retractable pivot pins 36' and 38' are mounted in the cabinet and normally project in receses Ill formed at the upper and lower corners of the outer door I04. Preferably the axis of the plungers at either edge of the door is inclined forwardly at the top giving the door a normal tendency to swing open. The pivot pins form plungers for solenoids I06 and I08 mounted in the cabinet. The solenoids are under the control of a circuit which is energized from a power line through a transformer H0. The circuit is controlled by momentary contact push button switches I I2 and Ill at either edge of the door together with interlock switches IIS and H8 operated by the opening movement of the door, as illustrated more clearly in Figure I8. The switches III and I I4 are of the normally open type and are closed by manual actuation. The switches Iii and H0 are of the normally closed type and are opened by opening movement of the door. The circuit is so arranged that when the door is open at one side, the solenoids for the other side will be disabled by means of the door operated switch at the one side. For this purpose, a conductor I20 extends to each switch I I2 and I it from which conductors I22 extend to the solenoids I06 and I08, respectively. The other side of each solenoid is connected by conductors I24 to the switches H6 and I I8, respectively, which in turn are connected by conductors I26 to the opposite side of the transformer.

It will thus be seen if with the door closed, switch II2 be depressed, a circuit will be established from conductor I20 to conductor I22 through solenoids I06, conductor I20, switch IIS and conductor I26 to the opposite side of the transformer. This will retract the pivot pins 38' causing the door to swing open at its ri ht-hand edge by a suitable spring not shown. As soon as the door has opened, the switch Ii8 will open thus disabling the circuit for solenoids I08. Since the circuit is symmetrical it is evident that a similar action will take place by operation of the switch I I4 to open the door at its left-hand edge.

The device thus described for an electrical control of the door may be utilized with the inner door and closure controls of Figures 1 through 15. On the other hand, if desired, these features may be omitted and the novel electric door control may be utilized in refrigerators of otherwise conventional construction.

Thus it can be seen that the novel combination herein disclosed of a single outer door mounted to open at either side and adapted to automatically and selectively open the closures for either inner compartment of a dual temperature refrigerator permits access to either compartment without spillage of refrigerated air from the other compartment. The economy of operation is further increased by the thermostatic closure connecting the storage and freezing compartments which not only insures the maintenance of the desired temperature in the storage compartment at all times, but also prevents spillage of cold air from the freezing compartment when access is being had to the storage compartment.

I claim:

1. Refrigerator cabinet construction comprising in combination a cabinet having side by side compartments separated by a partition and open at the same side, individual doors closing the open side of each compartment and a single door overlying both individual doors and hung to open selectively at either of two opposite edges and means operatively connecting said inner doors with the outer door for causing one of said inner doors to open when the outer door is opened from the free edge adjacent said last mentioned inner door.

2. Refrigerator cabinet construction comprising in combination a cabinet having side by side compartments separated by a partition and open at the same side, individual doors hinged on a vertical axis and closing the open side of each compartment and a single door overlying both individual doors and hung to open selectively at either of two opposite edges and means actuated by said overlying door when it is opened at either of said opposite edges for opening and closing the individual door adjacent said free edge.

3. Refrigerator cabinet construction comprising in combination a cabinet having side by side compartments separated by a partition and: open at the same side, a door closing the open side of at least one compartment and a single door overlying both compartments and hung to open selectively at either of two opposite edges and means controlled by the overlying door for causing said first door to open when the overlying door is opened at the edge adjacent said first door and to remain closed when the overlying door is opened from the opposite edge.

4. Refrigerator construction comprising a cabinet having side by side compartments separated by a partition and adapted for maintenance of relatively high refrigerated temperature in one compartment and relatively low refrigerated temperatures in the other compartment, an inner access door for closing the low temperature compartment and a single outer door hung to open selectively from either edge and overlying both compartments and means controlled by the outer door for opening the inner door only when the outer door is opened from the edge adjacent the low temperature compartment.

5. Refrigerator construction comprising a cabinet having side by side compartments separated by a partition and adapted for maintenance of relatively high refrigerated temperature in one compartment and relatively low refrigerated temperatures in the other compartment, an inner access door for closing the low temperature compartment and a single outer door hung to open selectively from either vertical edge and overlying both compartments, said inner door being hinged on a vertical axis adjacent the partition and means controlled by the outer door for opening the inner door only when the outer door is opened from, the edge adjacent the low temperature compartment.

6. Refrigerator construction comprising a cabinet having a single double-hung door pivotally mounted at each vertical edge on an axis slightly inclined from the vertical so that the door tends to gravitate to the open position when the pivotal connections at either side are released and electrically actuated means for selectively releasing the pivotal connection at either edge.

7. Refrigerator construction comprising a cabinet having a single double-hung door pivotally mounted at each vertical edge on an axis slightly inclined from the vertical so that the door tends to gravitate to the open position when the pivotal connections at either side are released, and electrically actuated means for selectively releasing the pivotal connection at either edge, whereby the door will swing open by its own weight, and a push button switch for controlling said electrical actuating means.

8. Refrigerator construction comprising a cabinet having a single double-hung door pivotally mounted at each vertical edge on an axis slightly inclined from the vertical so that the door tends to gravitate to the open position when the pivotal connections at either side are released, vertically retractable plungers at the top and bottom of the door at each vertical edge forming such pivotal connection, and electrically actuated means for selectively releasing the pivotal connection at either edge.

9. Refrigerator construction comprising a cabinet having a single double-hung door pivotally mounted at each vertical edge on an axis slightly inclined from the vertical so that the door tends to gravitate to the open position when the pivotal connections at either side are released, vertically retractable plungers at the top and bottom of the door at each vertical edge forming such pivotal connection, and electrically actuated means for selectively releasing I the pivotal connection at either edge and a push button switch for controlling said electrical actuating means.

10. Refrigerator construction comprising a and overlying both compartments, and means in said partition responsive to the temperature in the high temperature compartment for controlling circulation of cooler air from the low temperature to the high temperature compartment.

q 11. Refrigerator construction comprising a cabinet having side by side compartments separated by a partition and adapted for maintenance of relatively high refrigerated temperature in one compartment and relatively low refrigerated temperatures in the other compartment, an inner access door for closing the low temperature compartment and a single outer door hung to open selectively from either edge and overlying both compartments, means in said partition for controlling circulation of cooler air from the low temperature compartment to the high temperature compartment, and means controlled by said outer door for preventing such circulation while the high temperature compartment is opened.

12. Refrigerator construction comprising a cabinet having side by side compartments separated by a partition and adapted for maintenance of relatively high refrigerated temperature in one compartment and relatively low refrigerated temperatures in the other compartment, an inner access door for closing the low temperature compartment and a, single outer door hung to open' selectively from either edge and overlying both com, in said partition Ior circulation of cooler air from the low temperature compartment to the high temperature 1 an aperture near the bottom of said partition, a closure for said a and means responsive to the temperature in the high temperature compartment Ior controlling the closure.

13. Refrigerator construction comprising a cabinet having side by side compartments separated by a partition and adapted for maintenance of relatively high refrigerated temperature in one cement and relatively low refrigerated temperatures in the other compartment, an inner access door for closing the low temperature compartment and a single outer door hung to open selectively from either edge and overlying both cements, means in said partition for controlling circulation of cooler air from the low temperature compartment to the high temperature ent comprising an aperture near the bottom of said partition, a closure for said aperwrc, means responsive to the temperature in the high temperature compartment for con the closure and means controlled by said outer door for preventing opening of the crosure when the outer door is open.

14. Refrigerator 1. on comprising a cabinet having side by side compartments separated by a partition and adapted for maintenance of relatively high refrigerated temperature in one coment and re.ative.y low refrigerated temperatures in the other compartment, an inner access door for closing the low temperature comt and a single outer door hung to open selectively from either edge and overlying both compartments, means in said partition for con w circulation of air between said comparirnents and means concontrolied by the outer door for preventing such circulation while the outer door is open.

15. Refrigerator construction comprising a cabinet having a single double-hung door pivotally mounted at each vertical edge on an axis slightly inclined from the vertical so that the door tends to gravitate to the open position when the pivotal cons at either side are released and means for selectively releasing the pivotal connection at either edge.

R. WEST.

nous crrm The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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